Fun with the D810

[wattsy]

Back at Holkham on Friday. 35/F1.4G lens.

 

[jvora]

Hello Eleanor :

Really am enjoying your river images - They are wonderful - Thank you for sharing !

Noting that some of the images are being shot between f/11 through to f/14, have you noticed diffraction issues ?

Have you shot one particular scene from f/5.6 to say f/11 and seen the progression of diffractions with the Zeiss lens ?

I shoot Hotel/Resorts and Architecture and the majority of times shoot at f/11 and diffractions is something I remain concerned with with such a high MP camera.

Any thoughts about these concerns ?


Thanks,

Jai

Couple more of Snake River across the road from my house here in colorado. Nikon D810 with Zeiss Otus 55, both at iso 64 with 6 stop ND filter. First image at f14 at 25 seconds, second at f 11 at 5 seconds. Focus was on the boulder in the foreground. Eleanor

 

[Swissblad]

Nice work on your Portfolio, Jai.

 

[jvora]

Nice work on your Portfolio, Jai.

Kind of you to take the time to view my work - Your comment is very generous, but THANK YOU

 

[jonoslack]

Back at Holkham on Friday. 35/F1.4G lens.

Hi Ian
just misssed you - we were there on Sunday . . . although I had my humble 12mp A7s . . .

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Oh well, here we go. This is a camera that didn't interest me at all less than a week ago. Now it has replace the GH3 and the D700 as my main camera, and what a camera it is. So far, everything seems right, WB is great, skin-tones are great, colours in general are great and the shutter is almost as silent as on the Contax RX.

My worry has been my old lenses, if they could live up to the high resolution. So far, everything is fine. The photo below is taken with an 85mm f/1.8 AF that I bought nine years ago for less than $200. Aperture was f/4.

And just to be sure, a 100% crop:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

The speed test:

D810 with Nikkor 300mm f/4 @ f/4

 

[ptomsu]

Ha Jorgen, great shots and good you enjoy the camera!

I actually did a quick test run with the 810 and some newer glass - 1.8/28 and 2.8/70-200 VRII this week and while I liked the performance of the 28, I was not so happy with the 70-200. Showed similar "soft" results as mine on the D800E at 100%. And I see similar "softness" from your 1.8/85 shot at 100% which is not surprising given the age of this lens.

Maybe this is nitpicking from me but exactly this softness at 100% was the reason why I sold my D800E 2 month ago. And I see now this was maybe the right decision for me.

But this is mostly at 100% and only with some lenses. So overall this is a great performer!

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I was rather surprised that the old 85mm performed as well as it did, Peter. This means I can keep it for a while and spend money on a couple of WA lenses.

 

[ptomsu]

I was rather surprised that the old 85mm performed as well as it did, Peter. This means I can keep it for a while and spend money on a couple of WA lenses.

Jorgen,

please do not get my previous comment wrong, as I said for this old lens it performs pretty well. And you normally do not look at 100%

For WA I would look at the "new" 1.8/28, the one I tested was really excellent. And I would add maybe also the new 1.8/20 for WA. Also the 4/16-35 VR might be a great lens in this range!

Overall I share your feelings of the 810 - very silent shutter, very improved ergonomics and OVF over the D800E plus very fast and accurate AF. I just feel acknowledged that some lenses are pretty soft on this 36MP monster, even new designs like the 2.8/70-200VR2. And as I used it with TC2.0 this softness did not get better of course. What was worse that you could not always predict when the lens was soft at the wide end, this changes and I am not sure on what it depended. Maybe one should use tele primes to get better results.

So it is quite a task to choose the right glass for this beast But I am sure you will master this and have fun!

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

D810 with Nikkor 300mm f/4 AF @ f/4, heavily cropped

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Here's a 100% crop of a photo taken with the 20 years old 80-200 f/2.8 AF-S @ 200mm and f/4. This lens has always been one of my reasons to stay with Nikon. I think I'll buy another copy to be on the safe side

Here's the full frame:

 

[Jack]

Maybe this is nitpicking from me but exactly this softness at 100% was the reason why I sold my D800E 2 month ago. And I see now this was maybe the right decision for me.

Peter, something to consider when viewing 36 DSLR files at 100% -- expect to see every flaw in heretofore legacy lenses. If you view at 67%, voilla, they look just as good as they did on a 24MP cam.

As you know, I am a lens addict, and there are very few lenses that still cut it at 100% on the 36MP sensor. The short list is the Sigma 35 and 50 ART, the 85/1.4G, 105 DC (surprisingly), 200/2, ZF 85 & 135, and purportedly the OUTUS's (OUTAE?) will, but I don't own them. Honestly, that's about it. Every other lens I own shows it's weaknesses, usually in the outer 1/3 IC region. Surprisingly, almost any lens is good enough centrally even if it cannot match the sensor. The 24-120 is a good example; undeniably the worst lens in my bag, but it is on the camera for every casual photo event and often as my main travel lens -- and I get fantastic images even printed to 20 or 24 inches.

My point is, time to ratchet back your expectations a bit on glass. Personally, I believe it's the reason Canon has not entered the high MP DSLR race -- they know their lenses won't hold up any better than Nikon's do.
~~~

Going OT, but I think it also points to a significant change in the air -- cell phones are getting so much better, *most* amateur photographers are abandoning whatever camera and opting for the newest latest and greatest cell phone. I mean just look at the new iPhone's video capability -- freaking impressive on it's own, and it's just a phone! To serious hobbyists and pros, the DSLR platform remains the backbone, but that's a relatively small market that is already well-served.

 

[Jack]

Jorgen --

Congrats, you are already making the new cam sing :thumbs:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thanks, Jack, but this camera has clearly taken singing lessons before it left the factory

 

[ptomsu]

Peter, something to consider when viewing 36 DSLR files at 100% -- expect to see every flaw in heretofore legacy lenses. If you view at 67%, voilla, they look just as good as they did on a 24MP cam.

As you know, I am a lens addict, and there are very few lenses that still cut it at 100% on the 36MP sensor. The short list is the Sigma 35 and 50 ART, the 85/1.4G, 105 DC (surprisingly), 200/2, ZF 85 & 135, and purportedly the OUTUS's (OUTAE?) will, but I don't own them. Honestly, that's about it. Every other lens I own shows it's weaknesses, usually in the outer 1/3 IC region. Surprisingly, almost any lens is good enough centrally even if it cannot match the sensor. The 24-120 is a good example; undeniably the worst lens in my bag, but it is on the camera for every casual photo event and often as my main travel lens -- and I get fantastic images even printed to 20 or 24 inches.

My point is, time to ratchet back your expectations a bit on glass. Personally, I believe it's the reason Canon has not entered the high MP DSLR race -- they know their lenses won't hold up any better than Nikon's do.
~~~

Going OT, but I think it also points to a significant change in the air -- cell phones are getting so much better, *most* amateur photographers are abandoning whatever camera and opting for the newest latest and greatest cell phone. I mean just look at the new iPhone's video capability -- freaking impressive on it's own, and it's just a phone! To serious hobbyists and pros, the DSLR platform remains the backbone, but that's a relatively small market that is already well-served.

Jack,

I subscribe all (well most) of what you say!

Just the 1.4/85G is a special example for not being up to the 36MP sensor. I owned this lens and even sent it back to Nikon for adjustment because of weak results on the D800E. But the laconic answer was - this lens is within the tolerances - this may be the case but definitely not an appropriate answer for a €1700.- pro lens

One of the reasons I sold my Nikon kit!

I also agree with you on Canon and I am pretty sure to find the same issues in the 36MP Sony camp.

So what sense does it make then to keep a 36MP camera if most lenses are not up to the job. And if downscaling to say 24MP makes all MUCH better. Then I would prefer to stay with 24MP, which is in most cases anyway more than enough for all my photography :angel:

 

[Jack]

Jorgen,

Yup, it is an awesome cam -- but in all honesty, the D800/E were (and still are) not all that far behind it. AF speed and Live View are the two main factors -- I personally never had issues with the 800/E AWB, always found it near perfect with skin except under extreme artificial light -- the 810 is a little better here however.

 

[Jack]

Peter,

You had a bad copy of the 85/1.4G, not sure what else to tell you .

The reason to keep a 36MP high DR cam is T O N A L I T Y ! ! ! Please keep in mind there are a number of reasons other than max resolution to favor an imaging system === In fact, I would buy Nikon's next 54MP sensor *IF* tonality is perceptually improved over the 810, even though I know no lens will be up to it. Note here, that the reason I bought the 810 is precisely because color tonality was minimally, but enough to be visibly superior to the 800/E that I was able to justified the upgrade cost. For whatever reason, I do not see much difference in mono tonality, which is why I keep my 800E and leave it set up dedicated for mono capture. Makes for an awesome pair of cams, though in an ideal world I would own a pair of 810's; but I just don't shoot enough mono to justify, and frankly do not need the 810's marginally improved features for the type of mono I do...

 

[ptomsu]

Peter,

You had a bad copy of the 85/1.4G, not sure what else to tell you .

Jack,

if this is true then I am even more angry about Nikon! Why and how can it happen that the European Nikon representation gives such answers! Reminds me kind of on the issues with some of the D600's where Nikon also kept denying issues till finally they got in deep s.....

Finally these issues caused me to jump completely into mirror-less (at least for now) with Fuji (XT1) and Olympus (EM1). And of course one major reason was also the new 2.8/40-150 Zuiko lens with TC1.4 - mainly for wildlife. For the moment I no longer trusted Nikkor zooms and did not want to get into another adventure with the Nikkor 80-400 VR2

But enough here about bad things, I am aware that most manufacturers do have issues in their lineups. I obviously had the bad luck of owning some not so great copies of Nikkor lenses, although all of them were latest generation

Having said that I am still interested jumping back into FF with Nikon, maybe if they come out with that 54MP sensor (or whatelse), also I am more than convinced that I won't need this resolution for 98% of my shots. But improved performance WRT DR and tonality can always be an advantage!

WRT marginally improved advantages to the 810 compared to the 800/E - I see these advantages not just as marginal, IMHO these are major advantages. So major that I was almost close this week to buy a new D810 and some selected lenses for it. But I can wait .....

Still have one question to you: if I would go for the D810, would you recommend the 1.4/58 and the 1.8/85 as a good Nikkor lenses for this high resolution system?

Peter

 

[JohnBrew]

Agree with Jack on the 85 1.4G. It's the only other lens I own which can really compete with my Zeiss 55 1.4 on sharpness.